Charge against armed felon dropped as a result of Amendment 5

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Intro:	Charges against an armed felon in St. Louis were dropped after a judge says the charges were unjustified.
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Wrap: A firearm possession charge against a convicted felon in St. Louis was dropped after Circuit Judge Robert Dierker said he was within his rights under Amendment Five.

The judge said the amendment is unconstitutional because it fails to distinguish between violent and non-violent felons. Sponsor of the amendment Republican Senator Kurt Schaefer disagrees.

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Description: "Amendment 5 says violent felons can't possess firearms. It also says that anyone adjudicated mentally incompetent can't possess them. You know, this is a political ploy by people who are simply anti-second amendment."

Schaefer says the crime must justify why that person is permanently deprived of the right to possess a firearm.

Reporting from the Capitol, I'm Michael Lindquist.

Intro:	A felon charged with possessing a firearm will not have to face any consequences thanks to an amendment passed last year.
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Wrap: St. Louis Circuit Judge Robert Dierker said a convicted felon charged with possessing a firearm in St. Louis was within his right under Amendment Five.

St. Louis Police Chief Sam Dotson wrote on his blog the amendment makes the jobs of police officers and prosecutors harder.

Republican Senator Kurt Schaefer who sponsored the amendment says crime in St. Louis is a problem every year.

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Description: "They are as restrictive on guns in the City of St. Louis as they can be and their crime has gone up every single year. The prosecutor Jennifer Joyce and Sam Dotson have both admitted they have a crime problem that they have no idea how to fix."

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Michael Lindquist.

Intro:	A convicted felon in St. Louis no longer faces charges for possessing a firearm because a judge said the charges were unwarranted.
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Wrap: St. Louis Circuit Judge Robert Dierker said Amendment Five protected a felon in possession of a firearm rendering the charges against him unjustified.

The judge said the amendment is unconstitutional because it fails to differentiate between violent and non-violent felons.

Republican Senator Kurt Schaefer, the amendment's sponsor, said that wasn't the purpose of the amendment.

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Description: "Should somebody who has a felony for criminal non-support for tax evasion, should they loose the right to own a hunting rifle for the rest of their lives? Probably not."

Schaefer says the crime committed must justify why the right to possess a firearm is permanently removed.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Michael Lindquist.